Fibromyalgia

What is Fibromyalgia?

bigstock Fibromyalgia Signs And Sympto 89383949 800 Fibromyalgia is a unique, often used but relatively new diagnosis for unexplained body aches and pains accompanied by general fatigue and loss of energy. The pains are typically not localized to one region of the body such as the neck or lower back, but are generally spread throughout multiple regions of the body including but not limited to:

Neck
Shoulders
Chest
Lower back
Hips
Shins
Elbows
Knees

The pain originates in these regions but then spreads out, often times connecting one painful region to another and affecting large regions of the body or the body as a whole. A lot of individuals with Fibromyalgia wake with the pain and have morning stiffness of their joints. Some get relief once they move around for a while, however many don't. Many wake up tired even after a full night's sleep. Many have disturbed sleep, wake up numerous times during the night and never enter into the deep levels of restful sleep.

CAUSES

The cause of Fibromyalgia is medically unknown. Those who suffer from Fibromyalgia state that it is triggered by both physically and emotionally stressful situations, lack of sleep, changes in the weather or eating certain foods. It is the opinion of this author that much of what is causing the pain of Fibromyalgia is TOXIC OVERLOAD. The body has accumulated too many toxins through the air we breathe, the water we drink and the foods we eat. The toxins are being stored in the fatty tissues of the body, causing inflammation of the tissues and leading to bodily aches and pains. It is also the opinion of this author that some who suffer from the symptoms of Fibromyalgia actually have a low functioning thyroid which can lead to the symptoms of fatigue, loss of energy, lack of drive, feeling cold, weight gain, poor digestion and of course aches and pains of the body. Although not everyone with Fibromyalgia will have a low functioning thyroid gland, all should be checked to rule it out and then treated appropriately if found.

DIAGNOSIS

There is no specific blood test to diagnose fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is purely made on the basis of the patients symptoms and an examination of 18 specific points on the body for Pain and Tenderness. Those points are seen in the illustration below. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia you must have had the symptoms of widespread pain for at least 3 months with eleven of the eighteen points tender or painful to touch.

Misdiagnosis:

Fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed or mistakenly diagnosed for the following conditions:

Chronic neck pain
Chronic low back pain
Degenerative disc disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Depression
Hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid gland)
Lyme disease
Sleep disorders

Before accepting the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, make sure you truly have the appropriate symptoms, the tender points on your body and have ruled out all of the above misdiagnosed conditions.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms by Body System

With full blown, chronic Fibromyalgia, many of the body systems are affected. Here is a list of the various body systems and how they can be affected by Fibromyalgia:

Central Nervous System

Headaches
Dizziness
Sleep disorders
Brain fog
Memory impairment
Depression

Muscular System

Muscle weakness/fatigue
Muscle twitches
Muscle pain

Urinary System

Difficult of painful urination

Eyes

Visual disturbances
Blurry vision

Digestive System

Nausea
Poor digestion

Reproductive System

Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
Irregular periods

Skin

Rashes
Itching

Jaw

Jaw Pain or dysfunction

Systemic

Widespread body aches/pain
Weight gain
Chronic cold symptoms
Chemical sensitivities
Food sensitivities

Treatment

Although no single specific treatment is available, many individuals have success controlling their symptoms through a multi-disciplinary approach including Chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, appropriate dietary changes, exercise, stretching and a positive mental/spiritual outlook. Our recommendations are one or several of the following: